Necktie



'M. R. GRAY Nov. 5, 17935.

NECKTIE Filed April 19, 1933 Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATESv PATENTOFFICE NECKTIE Marion R. Gray, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 19, 1933, Serial No. 666,788

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a necktie, and it is a general object of theinvention to provide a simple, practical necktie that may be worn sothat it remains in a neat, attractive condition, and in its properposition on the wearer.

The ends of a four-in-hand tie are usually left loose or free so thatthey easily become twisted and displaced and may even protrude from thevest or coat of the wearer. Straps have been 10 provided on the innersides of the broad end portions of ties to receive and hold the narrowend portions. These straps are unsightly, require an added part on thetie, and do not prevent displacement of the tie. Further, clips havebeen l5 introduced to clip the two end portions of a tie to the wearersshirt, however, such clips heretofore used are large and unsightly andare easily lost and displaced. Clips such as I refer to grip both endsportions of a tie so that they are held 20 against relative movement andclamp the edges of both end portions of the tie to the buttonhole bandon the iront of the wearers shirt, so that the tie is not in the properposition relative to the button-hole band of the shirt unless great 25care is exercised by the wearer in applying the clip.

An object of the present invention is to provide a necktie thathas meansfor connecting its free end portions to the shirt of the wearer so that30k they are prevented from twisting and from becoming displaced.

Another yobject of the invention is to provide a necktie having meansfor attachment to the shirt of the wearer and means whereby the two 35`free end portions of the tie may be held together with the inner portionheld against the inner side of the outer or face portion in a manner sothat it is held in position but is free to shift vertically,

40 It is another object of the invention to provide a necktie of thecharacter mentioned in which the means for holding the free end portionsof the tie together and the means for holding them in their properposition on the shirt of the wearer 45 do not necessitate the provisionof straps or added pieces of material. In accordance with my invention,the necktie is provided with a fold on the inner side of the broad endportion of the tie forming a loop or strap for retaining the nar- 50`row end portion of the tie in its proper position,

which fold carries a small clip for gripping a suitable part of a shirt.It is a feature of the present invention that the usual fold on theinner side of the broad portion of the tie has an integral tab 55thatoperates to hold the narrow end portion of the tie against the innerside of the broad end portion and that the clip is on the tab and isadapted to maintain the tie in a central position on the shirt.

It is another object of the invention to provide 5 a necktie of thecharacter mentioned in which the clip is 'small and inconspicuous and isnot visible when in use.

y It is another object of the invention to provide a tie of thecharacter mentioned in which the clip is located on the inner side ofthe broad end portion of the tie so that it is adapted to hold the tiein its proper central position on the shirt. The clip is positioned 0nthe inner side of the broad end portion of the tie so that it is adaptedto grip the edge of the button-hole band of the shirt iront to maintainthe tie in its proper position and central with the button-hole band ofthe shirt.l

Another object of my invention is to provide a necktie with a clipproportioned and located so that the tie is accurately and neatlypositioned with reference to the wearers shirt upon being clippedthereto.

It is `another object of the invention to provide a necktie of thecharacter mentioned in which the clip has a short jaw with a dull orrounded gripping part that engages the shirt at the seam or line ofstitching along the outer edge portion of the button-hole band.

It is another object of the invention to provide a necktie in which thetwo free end portions may be held together so that they will not becometwisted or displaced and may be attached to the shirt of the wearer sothat they cannot become wrinkled or strained. As the inner or small endportion of the tie is free to shift or slide vertically and the clip iscarried by the tap on the inner side of the broader face portion oi thetie, and is operable to grip only the shirt, no part of the tie is heldunder any undesirable strain or tension.

Other objects and features of the invention will be bestand fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of a typical form andapplication of the invention, throughout which description reference ishad to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the necktie provided by the present inventionillustrating it in combination with a typical shirt. Fig. 2 is anenlarged `fragmentary plan elevation showing a portion of the shirt anda portion of the tie spread apart to illustrate ythe clip which isattached to the tie, in gripping engagement with the shirt. Fig. 3 is an55 enlarged fragmentary .elevation of the inner side of the tieillustrating the manner of passing the small end portion under the tab.Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 showing the small end portion inposition under the tab. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan elevation of theclip. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the clip, and Fig. '7 is a View ofthe clip taken as indicated by line 'I--l on Fig. 6.

The necktie provided by the invention includes, generally, a body I9,means II for holding the two free end portions of the body I0 together,and a clip I2 associated with the means I I for releasably attaching theend portions of the body to a shirt S.

The present invention is adapted to be embodied in four-in-hand ties ofdifferent designs, styles, etc. In the drawing I have illustrated theinvention in connection with a four-in-hand tie of more or less typicalor conventional design, it being understood that the invention is not tobe construed as limited or restricted to the speciiic form andapplication illustrated in the drawing and about to be described.

The body I0 of the tie includes a face or outer end portion A and aninner end portion B. The opposite edges of the two end portions A and Bof the body diverge outwardly toward the opposite ends of the tie. Inaccordance with the usual design of a four-in-hand tie, the outer endportion A is considerably wider than the inner end portion B. Theopposite ends of the body IU are pointed or have convergent edges asillustrated throughout the drawing. Two folds I3 and I4 are provided onthe inner side of the body I9. The folds I3 and I4 extend throughoutsubstantially the entire length of the body and are connected at theirinner edges by stitching I5. The ends of the two folds I3 and I4 arediagonal, being continuations of the converging edges of the ends of thebody. The body Illmay be lined and reinforced, and may have any otherstructural features as desired or found practical.

The means I I for holding the twoend portions A and B of the bodytogether operates to hold the inner end portion B flatly against theinner side of the face or outer end portion A. It is a feature of theinvention that the means II does not require the provision of anadditional piece of material or `expensive modification of the tieconstruction. The means II includes an integral tab I6 on the fold I3.The tab I6 is in the nature of an integral continuation of the piece ofmaterial forming the body Ill and overlaps the' fold I4. The tab 'I6 ispreferably located adjacent the lower end of the body portion A and mayformY the lower end portion of the fold I3 as illustrated in Figs. 3 and4 of the drawing. The fold extension or tab I6 is of considerable widthand is preferably lined. The upper edge I I of the tab I6 is straightand is inclined downwardly toward the outer end of the tab. In practice,the inner edge of the fold I3 may be curved outwardly adjacent the tab I6 as at I8 to increase the length of the upper edge II of the tab. Thetab I5 is sufficiently wide to have its outer edge I9 adjacent to andsubstantially parallel with the longitudinal edge of the body I0. Theinclined or diagonal lower edge of the fold I3 forms the lower edge ofthe tab I6.

In accordance with the invention, the tab I 6 is attached to the foldI4. Stitching 20 attaches the outer upper corner o-f the tab I6 to thebody fold I4. It is to be noted that the tab I6 is entirely free of thefold I4 at all points except Where it is secured to the fold by thestitching 20.

^ manner of inserting the end portion B under the tab I6 and Fig. 4illustrates the end portion B in its final position under the tab. It isto be noted that the tab I6 operates to effectively hold the end portionB in a central position and flat against the inner side of the portion Aand allows free Vertical or longitudinal shifting of the portion B.

The clip I2 for attaching the end portions A and' B of the tie to theshirt S is operable to releasably connect the tab I6 with the buttonholeband 22 of the shirt. It is a feature of the invention that the clip YI2 is proportioned and positioned on the tab I6 so as to hold theportions A and B of the tie in a central vertical position over the moreor less unsightly buttons 23 of the shirt and the stitching of the band22. The clip I2 includes a flat base 24 of metal, 0r the like. Openings25 are provided in the opposite end portions of the base 24 forreceiving stitching 26 for attaching the clip to the tab I6. The base 24of the clip is attached to the tab I6 adjacent its outer edge. In thepreferred arrangement, the clip I2 is attached to the outer upper cornerportion of the tab I6 adjacent the stitching 20. The base 24 of the clipI2 has rounded ends and converging sides. Outwardly projecting lugs 21are provided at opposite edges of the base 24. A jaw or gripping member28 is pivotally mounted on the base 24. The gripping member 28 is ofsubstantially the same plan i configuration as the base 24 and hasinwardly projecting lugs 29. A pivot pin 38 extends through transverseopenings in the lugs 21 and 29 to pivotally attach the member 28 to thebase 24. A torsional spring 32 is arranged on the pin 30 and has one endbearing against the base 24 and its other end engaging against the underside of the gripping member 28. The spring 32 operates to normallyyieldingly urge the inner arm or jaw 34a of the member 28 inwardlytoward the base 24. A gripping tooth or nose 34 is provided on the innerend of the jaw 34a for engaging the button-*hole band 22 of the shirt.In accordance with the invention, the gripping part or nose 34 has adull or rounded end so that it does not cut or injure the shirt. Thespring 32 operates to hold the gripping part or nose 34 in engagementwith the edge portion of the button-hole band 22 so that the band isclamped between the member 28 and the base 24 in the manner illustratedin Fig. 2 of the drawing. The outer end or arm of the member 28 forms alever or handle to provide for the easy pivoting or operating of themember 28. It is an important feature of the present invention that theparts of the clip are proportioned so that the clip has a comparativelysmall bite and is adapted to receive only a narrow outer portion of theband 22 of the shirt. 'I'he jaw 34a is short and the gripping part ornose 34 is located so that it grips or engages the inner side of theband 22 at its outer line of stitching 40. It will be apparent how theclip is operable to effectively connect the end portions A and B of thetie with the vertical button-hole band 272 ofthe shirt. After thenecktie has been tied and theinner. end portionB has been passed underthe tab IB, the member 28 of the clip may be engaged by a thumb orfinger of the wearer and depressed so that its inner end may be slippedunder the edge portion of the band 22. When the pressure has beenrelieved from the member 28, the spring 32 holds the nose or grippingpart 34 in tight engagement withthe inner side of the button-hole band22 so that the edge portion of the band is effectively clamped betweenthe nose 34 and the base 24.

It is believed that the utility and practicability of the tie providedby the present invention will be readily apparent from the foregoingdetailed description. After the tie has been tied, its inner end portionB may be easily passed under the tab I6 by inserting its pointed lowerend under the upper edge I1 of the tab and then engaging its enteringend from under the tab and pulling it downwardly. The tab IB holds theinner end portion B of the tie in its proper position against ithe innerside of the end portion A and prevents independent swinging or twistingoi.' the portion B. The two free end portions A and B of the tie may beattached to the band 22 of the shirt S so as to be held in their propercentral or vertical positions as illustrated in Fig. l of the drawing. Acomparatively slight pressure on the outer end of the -clip member 28 issuicient to pivot the member 28 so that its inner end may be insertedunder the edge portion of the button-hole band 22. As the entering endor javv`34a of the clip member 28 is comparatively short, only a smalledge portion of the band 22 may be received in the clip. When thepressure is removed from the clip member 28, the spring 32 pivots themember so that the gripping part 34 comes into holding engagement withthe inner side of the band 22. In this manner, the edge portion of theband 22 is gripped between the base 24 and gripping part 34 of the clip.The gripping part or nose 34 of the clip is dull or rounded so that itcannot cut or injure the shirt and the clip is proportioned so that thepart 34 will engage the button-hole band 22 at its outer line ofstitching 40. As the tab I6 maintains the inner end portion B in itsproper position, the clip carried by the tab acts to connect both endportions A and B of the tie with the shirt. The provision of theretaining tab I6 does not require any additional pieces of material inthe tie construction and does not materially complicate the manufactureof the tie. The clip is very small and cannot be seen under normalconditions. When the clip is in use, it is not visible and does notcause any Wrinkling or tension in the tie. As the clip is permanentlystitched to the tab I6 it cannot be lost or displaced and being at theinner side of the tie, is not apparent or visible when not in use. Thenecktie provided by this invention may be always arranged and maintainedin its proper position, and as its two free ends may always be heldtogether, it may be neat and attractive 10 at all times.

Having described only a typical form and application of my invention, Ido not wish to be restricted or limited to the specic form andapplication herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself anymodifications or variations that may appear to those skilled in the artor fall within the scope of the following claims:

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A necktie including, a body having an outer end portion and an innerend portion, an integral tab on the inner side of the outer end portionhaving its outer end attached to said outer end portion forming a holderunder which the inner end portion may be passed so as to be held againstthe inner side of the outer end portion. and spring actuated means fixedon the tab adjacent an edge of said outer end portion for connectingwith the shirt of the wearer to hold said portions against the shirt.

2. A necktie including, a body having an outer end portion and an innerend portion, a transverse tab on the inner side of the outer end portionintegral with the body and having its outer part fixed to the body toform a loop under which the inner end portion may be passed so as to beheld against the inner side of the outer end portion, and a clip fixedon the outer por tion of the tab adapted to grip the shirt of the wearerto connect said portions with the shirt.

3. A necktie including, a body having an outer end portion and an innerend portion, the body including longitudinal edge folds folded back uponits inner side, an integral lateral extension on one fold at the innerside having its outer end at- 5 tached to the other fold to form a strapunder which the inner end portion may be passed, and a spring clippermanently mounted on the exposed side of said extension and offsetfrom the longitudinal center of the necktie for gripping 5

